Compare towns
Upton vs Millis vs Townsend vs Northbridge
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Upton has the most people working from home (22.8%).
Millis has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.2%).
Townsend has the youngest population (median age 40.9).
Northbridge has the most renters (29.5% rent).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Upton | Millis | Townsend | Northbridge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,189Lowest |
8,888 |
9,100 |
16,458Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+7.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+4% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
46.4±3Highest 16% above MA |
40.9±3.3Lowest about the MA average |
43.8±2.6 9% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.4%±2.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21%±3.2 MA: 19.4% |
21.1%±2.9 MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.7%±4.9 MA: 17.9% |
23.5%±3.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.1%±2.1 MA: 17.9% |
16.4%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Millis and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 53.5% MA: 47.3% |
54.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
35.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
36.9% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.9%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±2.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.3%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
| Townsend and Millis are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $155,508±$33k 50% above MA |
$155,996±$9kHighest 50% above MA |
$121,528±$23k 17% above MA |
$111,319±$19kLowest 7% above MA |
| Millis and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $576,700±$41k about the MA average |
$603,500±$31kHighest 7% above MA |
$433,200±$22kLowest 23% below MA |
$448,600±$15k 20% below MA |
| Millis and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,696±$279Highest 4% below MA |
$1,469±$313 17% below MA |
$1,207±$102 31% below MA |
| Millis and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,376 40% above MA |
$9,344Highest 56% above MA |
$6,031 about the MA average |
$4,821Lowest 20% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
56.5%±16.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
50.6%±16.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
51.2%±9.8 MA: 51.8% |
| Millis and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
4.8% MA: 10% |
8.9%Highest MA: 10% |
7.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
83.2% MA: 62.5% |
82% MA: 62.5% |
70.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1974 10 yrs newer than MA |
1976 12 yrs newer than MA |
1973Lowest 9 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 35 min 22% above MA |
31 minLowest 5% above MA |
37 minHighest 27% above MA |
31 min 7% above MA |
| Work from home | 22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
17.5%±4.2 MA: 18.6% |
10.5%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
16.2%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
| Upton and Millis are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #46 of 282 in MA | #63 of 282 in MA | #136 of 282 in MA | #226 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Millis | North Middlesex | Northbridge |
| High school in town | Blackstone Valley | Millis High School | North Middlesex Regional | Northbridge High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.2 |
10.7Lowest |
13.1Highest |
10.8 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
MA average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.